00:00Jake Rill from MLB.com says five O's who can secure spots with strong Grapefruit League.
00:06One of those Orioles is Kobe Mayo.
00:08I think we all agree with what's going on with Jordan Westberg.
00:12It is almost a shoo-in that he's going to be on the open-day roster, am I right?
00:17Mayo, you mean?
00:17Yes.
00:18Yes, yeah, yeah, I would think so because you need somebody to play third.
00:21Not every day, but he's going to be able to play there.
00:23I mean, he's certainly, he's not going to be playing at first.
00:26And I thought he'd be in the minors or a trade piece.
00:31But now, you know, now with this injury, sure, I think he'll be on the open-day roster.
00:35Jake Rill says Yanir Cano looked like the 2023 Yanir Cano.
00:39And even though he has two minor league options, he's on track to have a bullpen role with his team.
00:45Your thoughts on that, Jeremy?
00:46I mean, I'm fine with that.
00:47Hoping that he returns back to the form he had the first year he was here.
00:51I don't think he can be that good.
00:52But, again, this was a guy we were like, man, where'd they get him?
00:55And then you go back and look at the trade with Minnesota and say, was that a throw-in?
00:58That was kind of a steal.
00:59They found guys in the bullpen every single year.
01:03They found one of the guys that ends up being special.
01:05And you can go back as far as C&L Perez if you want to talk about what's going on
01:10with Batista.
01:11And I feel like if he can get back in there, he could be that setup guy that he once
01:16was.
01:17But he can't look like he did last year.
01:19Last year, speaking of which, Jeremiah Jackson batted .323 with an .828 OPS in 26 games in the month of
01:28August.
01:29He is going to have to be similar to that.
01:31Ed, do you think he can gain a role on this team?
01:34Yeah, I do.
01:37I think he's going to have a role.
01:38I think he's going to be limited.
01:39But I think he's going to play.
01:42You know, I don't know that we're going to see Kobe Mayo as much as we think.
01:45I guess it all depends on how he plays defense in the minors.
01:49And I think because of the injuries, that made Jackson's job a little bit safer.
01:53Because now somebody has to slide in and be okay.
01:55But the way Elias was talking yesterday, Ed, it sounds like we're going to see a lot of Kobe Mayo
01:58this spring.
01:58Am I right?
01:59Sounds like it.
02:00I think he said you will.
02:02Outright, we will.
02:03This spring, but I'm saying in the regular season.
02:05Oh, well, I think if he hits, he'll be fine.
02:07I mean, who's his competition?
02:09I don't think if it's his hits.
02:10I think if he fields.
02:11Who's his competition?
02:12Right now, whoever they, I mean, you could put Blaze there.
02:15They need both of them.
02:16Without Jackson.
02:17I got you.
02:17But you could move.
02:18Like, you could be better defensively putting Jackson at second base and Blaze at third than you would be putting
02:22Mayo out there.
02:23With Jeremiah Jackson?
02:24Yeah.
02:24Mm-mm.
02:25Then putting, they don't like his glove.
02:27Okay, but they don't like Kobe Mayo's glove either.
02:29Because the only reason Kobe Mayo's back at third base is because they need a third baseman.
02:32And that's why I said it depends on if Kobe Mayo hits.
02:34If you don't like either one of these gloves and Kobe Mayo's hitting,
02:37he's going to get the nod over Jeremiah Jackson.
02:39I mean, I guess if you're looking at it that way, I'm saying if his glove is not up to
02:44par.
02:44Because this, he came up as a third baseman and they moved him quickly because it wasn't good enough.
02:49He's not going to figure it out overnight, I don't think.
02:51So, we'll see.
02:53This is exactly what Michael Lye said yesterday.
02:55The Westbrook vacancy at third base right now.
02:58And so, we're going to be looking at guys to fill in for that.
03:02And Kobe's kind of right at the top of the list.
03:04And, you know, you mentioned it.
03:05He's played a lot of third base.
03:07It's been what he's done mostly as a pro.
03:09So, he's pretty familiar there.
03:11But it's still something that he's working on.
03:12And he's a huge guy, you know, 6'5", and a really good defender for his size and his body
03:19type.
03:19But I think we'll see him there a lot.
03:21But clearly, we're going to have to figure out a plan for while Jordan's out.
03:26And that's also a little bit complicated in the short term by Jackson Holiday starting the year with the broken
03:33handmaid bone.
03:34And he's going to miss the first few weeks of the season or so.
03:37And so, we've actually got two infield vacancies at once that we weren't planning on.
03:42And that makes it a little bit tricky.
03:44But it gives a lot of good opportunity for the guys that are here.
03:46And we'll also keep monitoring what's going on outside the organization.
03:50He said that, and I said he dropped the nugget.
03:52And what happened?
03:53They signed Estrada.
03:55Yeah.
03:56I said, and he dropped the nugget.
03:58And he went out and signed Estrada.
04:00Continuing with Jake Reel's list, Jeremy Leote-Tavares designated for the assignment twice last year.
04:07They need backup outfielders.
04:09Can he make the team?
04:11Well, again, I think because of the injuries, it's going to leave something open.
04:15Will he finish or will he be a mainstay here?
04:17I don't know.
04:19Again, one of the things we talked about with Blaze is that he could play center field.
04:22He's obviously needed elsewhere right now.
04:25But I think there could be something there if you're going to play Couser
04:28and then maybe rest Couser later on in the season
04:31and give some of the right-handed at-bats to Blaze in that spot.
04:36But that's what I could see.
04:38Blaze plays defensively at third.
04:39He's good.
04:40He's his best position.
04:40He's a great defender.
04:42I remember his buddy said that.
04:43Yeah.
04:43He said that.
04:44And then Mountcastle's better at first than Kobe.
04:47So he's going to have a tough time.
04:50See, I think Mountcastle is the one that's in trouble here.
04:54Because Mountcastle is just the first baseman.
04:57And you have so many guys who are first-base candidates.
05:00I think Kobe Mayo, because he can play first and third,
05:03is probably in a better situation right now.
05:06If he hits.
05:07Maybe.
05:07I think Kobe's thing is all about the bat, guys.
05:10I'm telling you that.
05:11If he hits, they will find a place for him on this roster.
05:15I guess.
05:15I'm just thinking, like, because it comes down to it at the end of the season.
05:19You need defensive replay.
05:20You got a lead.
05:21You want a defensive replacement.
05:22I think Mountcastle is just a better fielder at first.
05:25See, it's a log jam there.
05:27Yeah.
05:27It is.
05:27It's a log.
05:28I mean, he doesn't fit in, in my opinion.
05:30And again, like, with Kobe Mayo playing third,
05:33I wouldn't have the issue if you had that hole in your lineup,
05:36and then you have, like, who did they just sign?
05:39Estrada.
05:39Estrada, if he comes in and he ends up being your third baseman
05:42because he's so much better defensively.
05:43I think your lineup is going to be fine.
05:45I don't know if that's what they do.
05:47Like, I want to see more of Kobe Mayo,
05:49but if he's out there and he's a civ at third base,
05:51they're going to find out real quick.
05:52I saw him, and I think, who was it?
05:53It was on yesterday.
05:57Was it, who was our beat writer?
05:59It was on yesterday.
06:01Did you have Cosby?
06:02No, no, no, not a beat writer.
06:06Anyway.
06:06Nobody remembers that wasn't here.
06:08We both agreed that the work that Kobe Mayo put in the first base last year,
06:12if he puts that same amount of work in third base this year,
06:15he will be fine.
06:17Morton.
06:18Brendan Morton was on there.
06:20We saw the work that he put in last year.
06:22I think if he puts in that work again this year, he'll be fine.
06:24And the Orioles have three or four open bullpen spots.
06:29They have a guy, Jackson Kawar.
06:31He was designated for assignment a couple of times last year,
06:34but he was acquired in exchange for cash considerations last year with the
06:39Mariners, 15 games, ERA of 4.24.
06:42But this guy's a flamethrower.
06:44He averages 97 miles an hour on his four-seam fastball.
06:48Do you think there's a spot for him in the Orioles' bullpen?
06:51I would say yes,
06:53because that's probably my biggest point of concern right now.
06:56I mean, the lineup is going to be, I think, really good.
06:59I mean, the infield's been shaken up with the Westberg injury for sure,
07:03but the starting rotation, I think, is going to be real good.
07:06The bullpen's been the big question.
07:07So, yeah, I think they will.
07:09Let's call to the phone lines, 410-583, 105-7.
07:12Rashawn in Baltimore.
07:13What's up, man?
07:14Good morning, fellas.
07:15How y'all doing, man?
07:16Welcome back, Jeremy.
07:18Thanks, man.
07:18You know, I heard you got anybody sick, you know, at the basketball game.
07:22Maybe they got me sick.
07:24Nah, man, Dustin, this kiss is bad, down bad right now.
07:27He's down bad?
07:28I told Rob when he came over next to me,
07:29I said he sounded sick when he got next to me,
07:31and I didn't catch it from him,
07:32but he sounded sick before he even came over and saw me.
07:36Oh, well, maybe he gave it to you then.
07:38No, it's not going to run through your system that quick.
07:40Last week was, you know what happened?
07:42I hadn't gone out in forever,
07:43and last week was the first week that I'd gone out four nights in a row.
07:47And finally doing things, getting out of the house.
07:49And I don't mean going out and just partying.
07:51I'm saying just getting out of my house.
07:53And then, of course, I go see Rob's Girls play on Saturday.
07:55I'm driving home, and I'm like,
07:57what the hell's going on?
07:59Yeah, you had a little movie date last week, too, right?
08:01With some guy.
08:02Yeah.
08:02Yeah.
08:03Hey, Rashawn.
08:04I had a couple of those.
08:04Hey, Rashawn.
08:05You got something to talk about, man?
08:07Yeah, yeah, my bad.
08:08Hey, so real quick, man.
08:09You want to go on a movie date with me?
08:10State your business, though.
08:11Yesterday, right?
08:12So, you know, at the end of the show, man,
08:14you was kind of hard on my boy Ramon, man.
08:17Who, me?
08:18I'm not trying to beat it that hard.
08:19Yeah, you was like, you know,
08:20like people coming up to you saying we should have signed Ramon Ureyes back.
08:24And I believe you said, don't quote me this,
08:27name anybody that Ramon Ureyes will be offensively better than in this lineup.
08:32I never said that.
08:33I literally never said that.
08:38I literally never said that.
08:39Go ahead.
08:39Listen up.
08:40I literally never said that.
08:41I said, where does he fit?
08:43Where does he fit on the roster is what I said.
08:46But I thought you said, name someone he'd be better than, you say,
08:49offensively better than.
08:50You said he took a drop back last week.
08:52No, no, no, no.
08:52Yeah, offensively.
08:53I said, where does he fit in?
08:55You just said something completely different a minute ago, Rashawn.
08:57And he's not.
08:58He's not.
08:58Who is he better than?
09:00Okay, I can name three players right now that I'd rather have.
09:04All right, okay.
09:05Lito Torres.
09:06He's an outfielder.
09:07He's an outfielder.
09:09What did you say?
09:10Okay.
09:10He comes from the pizza business.
09:11So he's not an option.
09:13He's an outfielder.
09:14Okay.
09:15Mayo.
09:16I know Mayo has a better, bigger upside.
09:18But right now, I would trust Ramon over Mayo.
09:20And this last person, I hate to say it,
09:22but I would trust him over Mountcastle right now.
09:25You know, if it's two outs, bottom of the ninth, and I need a hit,
09:29I would trust Ramon over Mountcastle.
09:30What's Ramon's numbers with two outs at the bottom of the ninth?
09:34Well, if I had a computer in front of me.
09:36So you're just making stuff up, pulling stuff off the top.
09:39No, but I didn't say it.
09:40I didn't say it.
09:42You said it.
09:42So what do you have that he's better in that situation?
09:46What makes you think he is?
09:48What happened with that no-hitter last year in Houston, right?
09:52He broke up that no-hitter, right?
09:53Oh, for God.
09:55No, I'm saying.
09:55I'm not.
09:56I'm just right now.
09:56I've got a computer.
09:57I'm telling you right now.
09:58No, with that two outs in the middle.
10:00I'm going to get my computer.
10:00Hey, Rashawn, I love this.
10:02Yo.
10:02Gotta go.
10:03No, no.
10:04We got time?
10:04Should it be noted, can I at least say, like, Rob is a big Urias fan?
10:09Exactly.
10:09I mean, you were his biggest champion.
10:12He would have a spot now.
10:13I'm just stating facts.
10:16Just because I like you doesn't mean I want you on my team.
10:19We've moved on from that.
10:21That's all I'm saying.
10:22We've moved on from that.
10:23I love Ramon Urias, but right now, I don't see where he fits on this team.
10:28He just signed for $2 million.
10:29He's a St. Louis Cardinal.
10:31God bless him.
10:31I hope he kills it in St. Louis.
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